The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-04-15


awealthy sonoms County Ranch Owaers
Pretty Clearly Estab1lshea-An Advent.
uro0s Career. Covering Many YsarA
Coming % LIEht-
San Francisco. April AT last the
mystcry u solved and tho question, "Who
IL Kissanen that sct tho city BY the ears
for tho past week q answered. William
Kissanc IL known here ~ VIM. X Rogers,
wealthy farmer Of Sonoma County.
There are many strongly romantic feat
ures In tho story. not the least remark
able being the fact that Kissane has
brother living In San Francisco under IN.
other name, and who Il one Of hor most
influential citixens. Il b this brothers.
influence, embracing - Il docs railroad
and legal and masonic circles, that has 30
cHectually stopped tho publication Of
the expose Although the name was
known Friday night and although II Il
known that more than one paper had tho
full story In type, not one word was
printed Saturday morning. and, IN the
evening the New York dispatchea con-
corning the matter were suppressed A
German papcr-The Demokraf alone
broke the compact Of silence.
Kissanc's story is this: He had : shoe
factory In Cincinnatiin 1853 which burned
down In . mysterious manner one night
The IRE also destroyed an adjoining soap
factory Of Pope = Corder, bringing the
families Of the members Of this hrm 70
beggary A son-in-law Of Pope named
Darr came TO California few years ago,
recognix d Kissanc, and notified the
Chemical Bank. After the fire Kissane
and others chartered the steamer Martha
Washington, and ostensibly loaded her
with boots and shoes. During her trip the
steamer was destroyed by Are, several
lives being lost Charges Of muir
der and arson followed. Kissanc
joined Walkers Nicaragua expedi-
tior, deserted in 1861, and went
to Virginia City. New There he entered
into partnership with man named Girls.
som, who recently died N the poor-house,
and Henderson, now . wealthy man OF
Santa Clara County. Together they OBJ
tanned . mine, paying $4,000 . month,
which soon made them rich Rogers,
with his share. bought the old Surf estate.
near Sonora, and settled down into
country life. As TO w. K Rogers, he DO
come friend Of Colonel Peter Donohue,
road building in 1873 He became county
supervisor. was made president Of the
board In 1875, and has served without In
corruption ever since.
Though the present disclosure ID the
first IN the nature Of public sensation. 1t
is by no means the first with which he has
been threatened. In quarrel with the
Sonoma County paper, in 1879, Rogers
career was limited at, and from what can
be learned the old man has been pretty
freely bled- He Is q big. tall fellow. car
rying his years and experience wonder
fully well, lives in good style. and 10
father Of two children and step-father 70
two growr-up daughters, having married
q widow. He enjoys the reputation Of be-
ing an extremely charitable and most in
dulgent parent.
Kissane's family reaches from high 20
low. At the top stands the extremely
prominent citizen referred 70, next comes
Rogers, and last comes . tcamstcr also
living In San Francisco who still keeps the
name OF Kissane. The eldest Kissane
twice, his second wife being the
mother OF the influential citizen referred
to. so that between him and Rogers half
brotherhood only exists.
a SUIT FOR BLAcKNAIr.-KTssAxE's BROTHER.
NEW YoRK, April 4-The officers OF the
Bank have received q telegram
from General Darr, who Is in San Fran
cisco, informing them that he had revealed
the identity OF Kissane in that city. To a
reporter Mr.. J. K. Parsons. Of the bank.
81 bsequentiy acknowledged that VIM X.
Rogers was the assumed name Of ks
sane. The president Of the bank. George
g. Williams. said: The man has not re-
formed. Half Of his criminality IN the
past has not been told. and his career in
has not been entirely free from
dishonor." Mr. Williams would not say
any thing definitely as tc the offenses
by Kissane in California, ex-
cept 10 intimate that when last heard
from he had been on "spree,r and tina
his domestic life was not without STAIN
General Darr has taken somo initiative
steps toward bringing an action against
Mr.. ]. g. Hart in San Francisco for libel
Gus utterances CONCERNING himself In as
cribing his motive In connection with ks
sane 10 desire TO levy blackmail
Mr.. J. b. Hart. the San Francisco lawyer,
was again interviewed yesterday, and cool
ly denied that VIM. Kissane Is At present
known in California under the name OF
William X. Rogers II Kissane had been
In Nicaragua, he said. rs q member Of
General Walkers expedition, he did not
know it.
The reporter informed Nr. Hart that
General Darr had telegraphei TO tho
Chemical Bank that he hal revealed Ki .
sane's identity. Mr.. Hart replied:
sWen II that ID 90 suit will be brought
against General Darr In the morning for
One Of the points in the strange history
which received fresh emphasis yesterday
was the original statement concerning the
brother Of Kissanc mentioned above, who
IL said 70 be . very prominent lawyer. re
siding in San Francisco.
While the position which William ks
sane has achieved in California Is said t<
have been greatly exaggerated by rumoi
and imperfect report that Of his brother
10 declared to be really . great deal
superior, both In social and political
sense. The lawyer 10 . man TO whom
other men look up with the highest 70
spect-a leader Ia the best private circles,
and the posscssor OF immense wealth.
Having gained these facts In advance,
the reporter asked Mr.. Hart concerning
them. He did not hesitate 70 confirm the
story - above related, although he, Of
course, nrmly declined 70 give the name
Of Kissane's brother.
'sWhat il his rank - : lawyerr' was
asked.
HE is one Of the three or four foremost